Okra Tomato Recipes

The taste and texture of okra differ drastically depending on the cooking method. I’m not a fan of the "slimier" preparations of okra, so I typically pan fry the veggie to keep it dry. In this recipe I used onion-flavored oil to cook the okra, then seasoned it with the usual Indian spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili powder and a touch of garam masala. Once the okra was softened, I drizzled it with lemon juice and added a bit of sugar to balance the flavors.

I usually serve this with dal (lentil dish), barbari bread (sesame-studded Persian flat bread) or basmati rice. My mother-in-law and the girls have all gone on vacation for the summer, so it's just Lulu, baby Aria, Daddy (my father-in-law) and me at home. Daddy really enjoys Indian spicy food, so I hope my cooking makes him miss his wife and girls a little less.

Mutton meat stew is one of our family's special occasion dishes whenever one of my husband Lulu's relatives come from dinner. I've shared several other versions in the past, but this week, I made the gravy with freshly ground poppy seeds. It gives the dish a pleasant nutty aroma that pairs perfectly with steamed jasmine rice.

The okra vegetables are added at the last minute and provided a nice contrast of color to the meat. Once cooked, they have a slimy quality that blends with the gravy. I've probably mentioned in the past but if you've never tried this unusual vegetable, okra is one of those foods you either love or hate. I personally love them!

Goat korma with okra is a spicy Indian curry dish. We usually serve it when my husband Lulu's family comes over for dinner as the rest of his family isn't vegetarian. To the Western palate, goat meat and okra wouldn't be an obvious choice of ingredients but they're very complementary.

To certain people, goat meat can have a strong taste, but I find that the meat at my local Indian market tastes wonderful and is very tender. Okra has a bad reputation as well due to its texture once boiled. I personally love this dish and could eat it by the pound, dipping rotis (Indian flat bread) in the spicy gravy sauce. At the very least, it’s a dish that will broaden your horizons.

I used to eat okra just plain, cooked in boiling water for a few minutes, seasoned with salt and drizzled with a little sesame oil. When I first met Baji (my husband Lulu's grandma), she was surprised by how I prepared okra (it's called bhindi in Urdu). She immediately showed me what she called sabji masala. Sabji means vegetables in Urdu, and for the longest time, I had no clue why Baji would always talk about sabji with me because I didn't understand the meaning of the word. The okra, once pre-cooked (Baji deep-fried them), are finished by simmering in a spiced tomato mixture.

Some people object to what they call the "sliminess" of okra. If you do, you need to deep fry them. That’s everyone’s favorite preparation, but it’s not the healthiest. Give both a try, and see which one you like.